romney tried to dig through the latest jobs numbers to make the case president obama has not hit pay dirt just yet. >> there are fewer new jobs created this month than last month. and the unemployment rate as you noted this year has come down very, very slowly, but it's come down nonetheless. the reason it's come down this year is primarily due to the fact that more and more people have just stopped looking for work. >> reporter: still, one of reen's key metrics on the president's handling of the economy went up in smoke when the nation's unemployment rate dipped below 8%. >> 8% unemployment for over, how many, 43 months? we still have unemployment above 8%. he told us he'd get us back to work. unemployment above 8% month after month after month. >> reporter: it's a political bar romney has repeatedly accused the president to clear for months. repeated in his closing statement at the first presidential debate. >> we've had 43 straight months with unemployment above 8%. if i'm president, i will help create 12 million new jobs in this country with rising incomes. >> reporter: but romne